Raja Ram temple, Orchha: Where Ram is worshipped as King

Finished with the sightseeing of Orchha Mahal we moved towards Raja Ram temple. Both the places are walking distance apart. The architecture of the temple is as fascinating as temples in South India.

Some centuries back, one night King of Orchha dreamed of Lord Ram and received inspiration to build a temple/palace dedicated to Ram. The construction was finished soon and opened for worship. A peculiar thing of this temple is that Lord Ram is not worshiped as a god but as a King. The temple too was constructed more like a Raj Bhavan rather than a temple. Even today, Police stand at the gates pretending to be guards of Lord Ram.The temple is revered by devotees throughout India and they pour in large number throughout the year.

Raja Ram temple

Temple is built of golden brown stones and has lots of rooms. We had just finished the ground floor and were about to leave the temple when I noticed a dark passage going upwards. A metal chain confirmed that the passage was not open to tourists. Some guards were chatting in front of the small gate less door. I moved closer to them and asked what’s above? One of them replied you want to go up? I said yes. He continued ‘take this boy with you and he will show you all the interesting spots’

Sadhus sitting under a Peepal tree in RamRaja temple

Chilams

The mute guide

A young boy in jeans and T-Shirt came ahead. A Small whiteboard was hanging from his neck which read I am Deaf and Dumb, please help me.

The guide

We started moving up the narrow alley which was broad enough to only pass one at a time. Stairs were big and broken. The boy moving ahead understood our likelihood to rough against the tall stairs and low ceiling in the dark. He passed torch lights standing at the turns and making hunn hunn noise from his nose to indicate to climb slowly.

Indian long-billed vulture:

We reached a flat terrace which was connected to the main dome of the temple. Our young guide started making sharp noises and fast hand movements. He wanted to show us something very interesting. I hurried towards him and moved my eyes in the direction of his finger. Indian long billed Vultures or Gyps Indicus.

Amazing!

Long-billed Indian Vultures

There was a time when they were in numbers but not now. In fact, they are placed in the category of highly endangered species and rarely found. One of the main reasons cited by researchers is the use of Painkillers by humans which enter the food chain of Vultures resulting in their death.

In Orchha, there were around 6-7 big vultures. Some sitting on the sections of the temple while some in the air with their huge wings. We all stood there for quite a time watching the magnificent endangered Vultures before returning on the ground floor. Handed our guide his due. Thanked all the guards and left the temple.

It was around 7 PM and the sun had moved to the other hemisphere. We took auto-rickshaw and returned Hotel Chanda our nest for the night. With this comes the end to our visit of Jhansi and Orchha.

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The denizens of the deep woodlands and forests of Madhya Pradesh are the stately ‘gaur’ (Indian bison), wild dogs (‘dhole’), deer and antelopes like the sambar, chinkara, cheetal (spotted deer), chousingha (four horned antelope) and the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger.